For a very long time, changing into a digital nomad virtually routinely meant changing into a freelancer.
When you needed to journey, work from anyplace, and construct a life exterior the conventional 9-5 workplace routine, the apparent path was to begin providing providers on-line.
Issues like freelance writing, web site design, social media administration, digital help, teaching, consulting, advertising and marketing, website positioning, video enhancing…the record goes on!
No matter talent you had, you packaged it up, discovered purchasers, and tried to make sufficient cash to maintain the journey dream going.
We began working on-line again in 2012, and for years, our earnings got here from working our personal journey weblog, working with manufacturers, constructing on-line companies, and creating totally different presents across the abilities we had developed alongside the way in which.
That way of life gave us a stage of freedom that I nonetheless don’t take with no consideration.
We’ve labored from seashore cities, mountain villages, tiny residences, cafés with spotty Wi-Fi, airports, guesthouses, coworking areas, and extra international locations than I can record off the highest of my head.
However after greater than a decade of doing this, I may also inform you one thing that doesn’t all the time get talked about sufficient within the digital nomad world:
Freelancing is just not the one strategy to reside and work internationally.
And truly, for lots of digital nomads, it may not even be one of the simplest ways.
The Typical Digital Nomad Path
The traditional digital nomad dream normally appears to be like one thing like this:
Stop your job.
Begin freelancing.
Get just a few purchasers.
Guide a one-way ticket.
Work from wherever you need.
On paper, it sounds superb, and it may be. However there’s one other aspect to freelancing that lots of people solely work out as soon as they’re already in it.
You’re not simply doing the work. You’re additionally discovering the work.
You’re pitching, promoting, invoicing, following up, dealing with annoying fee conversations, managing contracts, changing purchasers who disappear, and always making an attempt to maintain an earnings coming in…
…some months are nice, whereas different months are hectic.
One shopper leaves and out of the blue your “freedom way of life” feels lots much less free…this has occurred to us greater than as soon as throughout our on-line journey.
That’s to not say freelancing is dangerous. It may be an unbelievable strategy to construct location-independent earnings. But it surely’s not the one possibility anymore.
The distant work world has modified.
Right now, extra worldwide firms are open to hiring folks throughout borders, and extra professionals wish to reside overseas whereas protecting secure employment.
And extra companies are realizing that one of the best particular person for the job may not reside in the identical metropolis, nation, and even continent as the corporate itself.
That creates an amazing alternative for digital nomads – you will be location impartial with out essentially changing into a freelancer.
The New Path: Change into Globally Employed
That is the place issues get attention-grabbing. A number of digital nomads assume there are solely two selections:
- You’ll be able to both have a conventional job and keep in a single place.
- You’ll be able to journey and work for your self.
However there’s a 3rd possibility: You will be employed as an worker by a global firm whereas residing and dealing overseas.
This implies you might be able to have the steadiness of employment, the construction of an actual position, and in lots of circumstances, entry to correct payroll, advantages, and protections, whereas nonetheless residing a location-independent way of life.
For lots of people, that’s the dream!
Not everybody desires to construct their very own company. Not everybody desires to promote teaching. Not everybody desires to always chase freelance purchasers.
Some persons are actually good at what they do and would fortunately work for one nice firm, so long as they don’t have to surrender the liberty to reside internationally.
That would imply a Canadian marketer working for a Dutch firm whereas residing in Portugal.
A British developer working for a US startup whereas primarily based in Thailand.
A South African buyer success supervisor working for a German firm whereas spending a part of the yr in Spain.
A designer, operations supervisor, copywriter, gross sales rep, accountant, venture supervisor, product specialist, or software program engineer working for an organization that values their abilities greater than the place they reside.
Freelancing vs. Employment
Freelancing will be nice if you need full independence.
You select your purchasers, set your charges, and determine how a lot work you wish to tackle. You’ll be able to construct your individual model, create your individual presents, and finally flip it into one thing larger.
However freelancing additionally means you might be liable for just about every part…and I imply every part. Take it from me!
You’re the advertising and marketing division, gross sales division, finance division, admin division, and supply crew. You do all of it.
Employment is totally different.
With employment, you normally have extra construction.
You could have an outlined position, common wage, clear set of tasks, and potential advantages. Plus, paid time without work, native employment protections…and ideally, much less time spent always making an attempt to promote your self.
For digital nomads who’re bored with the feast-or-famine cycle, this could be a a lot better match.
I’ve met lots of people through the years who love the journey aspect of the nomad way of life, however don’t really love being self-employed.
They simply need significant work, secure earnings, and the power to reside someplace that matches their way of life, and there’s nothing improper with that. In truth, I believe it’s one of the vital underrated paths within the digital nomad world.
Can You Be Legally Employed Whereas Residing Overseas?
The reply is sure, however the setup issues.
That is the place an Employer of Document, or EOR, can are available. An Employer of Document helps firms rent workers in international locations the place they don’t have their very own native entity.
Rivermate is an EOR that does this. As an alternative of the corporate needing to open a department, register a enterprise, be taught the native employment system, and handle country-specific payroll and compliance, the EOR turns into the authorized employer in that nation.
The corporate nonetheless directs your day-to-day work. You continue to work with the identical crew, do the position you have been employed to do, and you continue to report back to the corporate hiring you.
However the EOR handles the native employment aspect.
That may embrace payroll, tax compliance, employment contracts, advantages, staff’ compensation, and ensuring the employment relationship follows native legal guidelines.
For firms, this makes worldwide hiring a lot simpler, and for digital nomads, it will probably make world employment really feel far more practical.
What if You Already Have a Job, however Need to Work Overseas?
Possibly you’re employed for an organization in your house nation, however you wish to spend six months in Spain.
Possibly you’re primarily based in Canada, however you wish to reside in Portugal.
Possibly you may have a distant position within the UK, however you wish to transfer someplace hotter, cheaper, or simply extra aligned with the life you really wish to construct.
That is the place issues can get a little bit tough. Simply because your job is distant doesn’t all the time imply you may work from anyplace on the earth.
An organization is perhaps completely advantageous with you working from house in your individual nation, however that doesn’t routinely imply they will legally make use of you if you are residing overseas.
The problem normally isn’t whether or not they belief you – it’s extra about whether or not they can legally help the association.
When you transfer to a different nation, your employer could have to consider native employment legal guidelines, payroll, taxes, social safety, advantages, insurance coverage, and whether or not your presence creates any compliance points for the enterprise.
That’s why some firms say no to worldwide distant work, though the work itself might simply be performed from anyplace.
It’s not all the time a distant work downside. It’s usually a compliance downside.
That is one other place the place an Employer of Document may also help. As an alternative of your employer having to open a neighborhood entity or work out the employment legal guidelines in your new nation, an EOR might be able to legally make use of you there on the corporate’s behalf.
How one can Place Your self for Worldwide Employment
When you’re a digital nomad who desires to get employed by a global firm with out changing into a freelancer, step one is to shift the way you current your self.
Don’t simply place your self as “distant.” Place your self as somebody who can create a transparent enterprise consequence from anyplace.
Corporations aren’t hiring you since you wish to reside in Lisbon, Chiang Mai, Mexico Metropolis, Bansko, or Bali.
They’re hiring you as a result of you may assist them resolve an issue. So your software, profile, and interviews have to make that apparent.
As an alternative of main with the life-style, lead with the consequence you may get them
Search for firms which are already snug with distant groups
Not each firm is able to rent internationally. Some nonetheless need folks in the identical metropolis. Others say “distant” however actually imply “distant inside one nation.” Some are open to worldwide expertise, however solely in particular areas or time zones.
That’s why you wish to pay shut consideration to the language in job descriptions.
Search for phrases like:
“Distant-first”, “Globally distributed crew”, “Work from anyplace”, “Worldwide hiring”, “EOR-supported employment”, or
“Hiring globally”.
These are indicators that the corporate could already perceive the realities of worldwide hiring. You may as well check out the crew web page.
Are workers primarily based in numerous international locations? Does the corporate discuss distant tradition? Have they got folks working throughout time zones?
If sure, your chances are high a lot better than making use of to an organization that has by no means employed exterior its house market.
Be prepared to speak about your location clearly
One mistake digital nomads make is being obscure about the place they’re. They’ll say, “I’m versatile,” or “I journey round,” which might sound enjoyable to different nomads however hectic to an employer.
Corporations want readability.
They should know the place you’re legally primarily based, the place you intend to work from, what time zone you’ll be in, and whether or not your setup creates any further complexity.
That doesn’t imply it’s essential to have your complete life mapped out eternally. However you must be capable to clarify your state of affairs professionally.
For instance:
“I’m presently primarily based in Bulgaria and plan to stay tax resident right here for the foreseeable future. I journey sometimes, however my major working location and time zone are secure.”
That sounds much more hireable than:
“I’m in South Africa for two months, after which I’m going to take a look at Tbilisi for a month, and I’m pondering of Bali after that.”
The extra secure and clear you can also make your setup sound, the simpler it’s for an organization to say sure.
Ask the suitable questions earlier than accepting a job
Earlier than accepting a global distant job, you’ll wish to perceive the employment setup.
Some helpful questions embrace:
- Will I be employed as an worker or contractor?
- Can the corporate make use of folks in my nation?
- Does the corporate use an Employer of Document for worldwide hires?
- Are there restrictions on the place I can work from?
- How lengthy can I work from one other nation whereas employed?
- Who handles payroll, taxes, and advantages?
- What time zone overlap is required?
- Are there any visa or work authorization necessities I would like to concentrate on?
- What occurs if I transfer international locations later?
An organization could also be joyful so that you can work remotely from your property nation, however not from ten totally different international locations all year long.
One other firm could also be advantageous with occasional journey, however want you to be formally employed in a single particular location. One other might be able to rent you thru an EOR in your nation, however not within the nation you wish to transfer to subsequent.
The extra you already know upfront, the higher.
Don’t disguise your digital nomad way of life, however don’t make it the entire pitch
There’s a steadiness right here. You don’t have to fake you’re not location-independent. However you additionally don’t need your complete skilled id to be “I journey.”
One of the best worldwide distant workers make firms really feel assured.
They convey nicely. They’re dependable. They perceive time zones. They don’t disappear for 3 days as a result of the Wi-Fi at their seashore bungalow stopped working. They know easy methods to work independently with no need fixed supervision.
That’s the model of your self you wish to current.
Sure, it’s possible you’ll be a digital nomad, however you’re additionally knowledgeable.
You’ll be able to meet deadlines. You’ll be able to present as much as calls. You’ll be able to defend firm information. You’ll be able to work throughout cultures. You’ll be able to handle your schedule. You’ll be able to contribute to the crew even in the event you’re not sitting in the identical workplace.
That’s what makes you priceless.
The Way forward for Digital Nomad Work is Extra Skilled
The early digital nomad motion was closely tied to entrepreneurship, running a blog, freelancing, and on-line enterprise. And naturally, that world nonetheless exists.
But it surely’s not the solely model of the life-style.
The following model of digital nomadism is extra skilled, extra structured, and extra linked to world employment.
Individuals need freedom, however in addition they need stability. They wish to journey, however in addition they desire a common paycheck. They need location independence, however they don’t essentially wish to run a enterprise.
And firms need entry to one of the best expertise, however they want methods to rent that expertise legally and compliantly.
That’s the place the chance is.
A digital nomad doesn’t should be a freelancer.
They could be a full-time worker. They’ll work for a global firm. They’ll have a secure position. They are often paid via compliant payroll. They’ll obtain advantages. They’ll construct a severe profession whereas residing overseas.
However the setup issues.
Remaining Ideas
After years of working on-line and residing internationally, I nonetheless consider location independence is among the greatest methods to design a life with extra freedom.
However I additionally assume the dialog must evolve – possibly it’s as a result of I’m older now than once I first began this way of life?!
It’s not nearly quitting your job and figuring it out as you go, and it’s not nearly freelancing from a laptop computer.
And it’s positively not nearly sitting on a seashore with a coconut whereas pretending that working a enterprise from the highway is all the time straightforward.
For some folks, freelancing would be the proper path. For others, constructing a enterprise would be the dream.
However for lots of digital nomads, one of the best path is perhaps getting employed by a global firm in a approach that provides them each freedom and stability.
That’s the actual alternative.
And right this moment, with world hiring, remote-first firms, and Employer of Document options, there are extra methods than ever to do exactly that.
